Yesterday evening, Aug. 6th, 1883, a special train of “empties,” which
left Charing-cross at 5.55 to pick up returning excursionists from
Gravesend, had some extraordinary experiences, such as perhaps had hardly
ever occurred on a single journey. On leaving Dartford, where some
passengers were taken up, the train was proceeding towards Greenhithe,
when the driver observed on the line a donkey, which had strayed from an
adjoining field. An endeavour was made to stop the train before the
animal was reached, but without success, and the poor beast was knocked
down and dragged along by the firebox of the engine. The train was
stopped, and with great difficulty the body of the animal, which was
killed, was extricated from beneath the engine. While this was in
progress, a balloon called the “Sunbeam,” supposed to come either from
Sydenham or Tunbridge Wells, passed over the line, going in the direction
of Northfleet. The two æronauts in the car were observed to be short of
gas, and were throwing out ballast, but, notwithstanding this, the
balloon descended slowly, and when some distance ahead of the train was,
to the horror of the passengers, seen to drop suddenly into the railway
cutting two or three hundred yards only in advance of the approaching
train. The alarm whistle was sounded, and the brakes put on, and as the
balloon dragged the car and its occupants over the down line there seemed
nothing but certain death for them; but suddenly the inflated monster,
now swaying about wildly, took a sudden upward flight, and, dragging the
car clear of the line, fell into an adjoining field just when the train
was within a hundred yards of the spot. The escape was marvellous.